Everybody wants to be happy. Some want it so bad that they make themselves miserable just trying to get more of it. Yet happiness remains elusive to many who pursue it.
Happy isn’t one of the first things that comes to mind when Jesus is mentioned. There’s a lot of focus on the execution and blood. Repentance and denying yourself are not on anyone’s top ten fun list.
But Jesus talked about happy. A lot.
But not how we define happy, as a feeling or showing pleasure or contentment. That kind of happy is temporary and you always need a refill. It’s a never-ending pursuit.
Jesus spoke of lasting and deeper happiness. The Greek word used most often to convey this is, μακάριοι (makarioi). It refers to a state of spiritual well-being and prosperity. It also implies supremely blessed, fortunate, well off, and yes, happy. In English, it’s usually translated as blessed, but the underlying richness and depth of the meaning is much more than just being blessed or favored.
Jesus uses this word related to the good fortune, lasting happiness, and joy that is rooted in the Kingdom of God as He revealed. It’s a spiritual reality that goes beyond temporary circumstances rather than the fleeting and superficial aspects of a happy life humans tend to chase after.
In Matthew 5, Jesus begins the longest discourse we have record of called the Sermon on the Mount. It’s called that because he was teaching from a mountain - likely so more people could hear him.
The first 8 to 10 points made are often called the Beatitudes. That word comes from a Latin phrase that means blessed are - which is how each of those initial points begins.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives us a detailed view of the practical Kingdom of God, here and now. With that context, the implication is that those in the Kingdom are blessed in these ways. This is what we should expect in this Kingdom.
But the term blessed in English isn’t complete as a description of that deep, meaningful happiness, purpose, and prosperity Jesus is defining.
With that in mind, I like to call these first points of the Sermon on the Mount, the Be Happies. And believe it or not, happies really is a word that’s plural for happy.
What Jesus describes would not fit into our American understanding of the pursuit of happiness. Yet what Jesus offers is so much better, meaningful, and eternal! Here’s the list.
Matthew 5:3-12 (NET) 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to them.
11 Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me.
12 Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.
For our definition of happy - most of those sound anything but happy. You can’t be happy, and mourn, right? How does that work?
Thankfully, the Bible gives us some clues. Psalm 30:5 tells us that sorrow may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
While that’s a somewhat vague verse that can be interpreted many ways, it does give an analogy that can help to understand how in the world those who mourn in the Kingdom are somehow blessed and happy.
Tonight the sun will set bringing darkness wherever you are on the earth. My little granddaughter freaks out when a room goes dark. She doesn’t understand that seeing is just a light switch or a flashlight away.
If you didn’t understand how day and night work, darkness at evening would be troubling! Where did all the light go? But, you and I know, the sun will come up tomorrow, just as it did yesterday. The dark is temporary.
You see, that’s the hope Jesus is speaking of. For a Jesus follower, living according to His Kingdom standards reminds us of how temporary our circumstances are. We still live in a broken world. There is pain, loss suffering, and mourning.
But the Good News is, it’s temporary. We are citizens of a heavenly Kingdom first - which, by faith, makes this broken world easier to deal with.
That’s why Jesus followers should act differently. Talk differently and use different strategies and tactics than everyone else. We view things through the lens of the Kingdom Jesus proclaimed. That changes everything.
Paul talks about grieving death and the difference for a Jesus follower.
1 Thessalonians 4:13 (NET)
Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope.
Having hope is the difference. If you believe the words of Jesus are true, and you’ve given your life to following Him, then you have hope. No matter what.
That hope is the foundation of the blessed and rich happiness only Jesus can give.
In His Kingdom, mourning is a blessing because we not only know it’s temporary, but we also have the promise we WILL be comforted.
It’s a blessing to be able to mourn. For one thing, it proves you are not a psychopath! It’s human to mourn. But we don’t have to settle for that. Jesus overcame death, hell, and the grave!
If you are mourning now, hang on. Because with Jesus you have the hope of resurrection. It’s just a temporary night. The joy of a different morning, daybreak, is on the way.
That’s how Jesus tells us to be fully happy. It doesn’t make sense in the natural. It’s upside-down according to worldly standards and methods.
And these are the other keys to Kingdom happiness.
Being:
poor in Spirit, not religiously proud.
meek and humble, not arrogant.
hungry and thirsty for righteousness, not empty temporary pleasure.
merciful, not judgmental, and condemning.
pure in thought and emotion, not devious and bitter.
a peacemaker, not a trouble starter.
persecuted for doing good, not punished for doing wrong.
Woohoo! Sign me up, right? Well, it gets better… maybe worse.
Jesus wraps up the Be Happies by saying you are blessed and happy when insulted, mistreated, and lied about. He says to rejoice and be glad about it. Have a party about your heavenly reward, not this temporary stuff.
That’s not only the way to real happiness, but these key attributes of the Kingdom are also how to actually obey some of the tough things Jesus commanded.
Like loving your enemies, for instance.
Bottom line, if you pursue temporary happiness, that’s what you’ll get. But if you pursue Jesus, you’ll find a depth of happiness that you can’t even explain to someone without that hope.
Don’t worry. Be happy. Like Jesus said!